Bistre
by Queen-Akasha
Summary: Jen Zi knows that Master Li only wants the best for her. He only has her future in mind. But the disappearance of a childhood friend casts a dark taint over her otherwise happy childhood.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Yuan Ho was the first boy to best Jen Zi in hand-to-hand combat. She was ten years old, and he had been a couple years older. He was also the first boy to kiss her. Like most first kisses, it was a little awkward at first, but neither Yuan Ho or Jen Zi minded much, and the awkwardness quickly vanished.

What Jen Zi remembered most about Yuan Ho was the way his soft brown eyes sparkled as he laughed. His voice had been as clear as a bell, and strong too, an amazing thing for a boy so young. Jen Zi laughed a lot when she was with Yuan Ho. Then he went away, and she didn't laugh so much any more.

Master Li had found them, kissing underneath the tree behind his house. He didn't shout, he wasn't the type, but Jen Zi could tell that he was Not Happy. Soon after that, Yuan Ho had gone away. It was very sudden…no warning, no time for good-byes. He simply wasn't there one morning. Jen Zi had burst into Master Li's house, frantic and sure that something terrible had happened to Yuan Ho. But Master Li had explained calmly that Yuan Ho hadn't been making any progress in his training and he had been sent home, and really it was all for the best as Jen Zi was at a critical stage in her training and couldn't afford any _distractions_.

The way he said that last word, and the slight, disapproving glance he had cast upon Jen Zi sent cold chills all throughout her body. She bowed silently, then ran quickly from her Master's house to her own little room, threw herself on her bed, and began to sob. As young as she was, she had understood the meaning behind that look and that one word. Yuan Ho was gone because of her. It was her fault. For the next two days she was inconsolable, and it was only due to Smiling Mountain's gentle coaxing that she even left her room at all.

Jen Zi had rededicated herself to her training, becoming stronger and stronger every day. She was polite and friendly with the other children, but kept her distance, even from her longtime companion, Dawn Star. After all, her Master had said she couldn't afford any distractions, and he only wanted what was best for her. Slowly but surely, life went back to normal, and the sharp pain Jen Zi had once felt for Yuan Ho gradually faded into a dull ache.

Then one morning, nearly a year later, an old woman appeared at the gate to the small school. She refused to leave until she had spoken to the master of the school. Jen Zi found her arguing with the gate guard, who was refusing her entrance on Master Li's orders that he was not to be disturbed until after morning training had finished. The old woman had looked at Jen Zi, and something in the woman's soft brown eyes caused her heart to skip a beat.

Jen Zi overruled the decision of the angry gatekeeper, and took the old woman to see her master. A sense of foreboding overcame the girl the closer she got to Master Li's home. Aside from thanking Jen Zi for letting her enter, the old woman had said nothing. An uncomfortable silence prevailed until the old woman laid eyes upon Master Li. As Jen Zi and the woman entered the room, Master Li turned from his meditations, although he remained kneeling on the floor. The woman was the first to speak up, in a shaky voice,

"I want to know what happened to my son. He hasn't written in nearly a year. It is so unlike him. I don't like it. I'm taking him home with me, today."

Master Li regarded her calmly. "Well madam, I can understand how that would be disturbing, but you know young boys. Sometimes as they grow, they began to feel distant from…"

"NO!" the woman said emphatically. "Not my boy. No, something is wrong. Yuan Ho would not do that to me."

Jen Zi felt her stomach plummet, and Master Li's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Why, my dear woman," he said. "I sent Yuan Ho home to you a year ago. You mean to say he has not returned?"

The woman's face had become as white as a ghost, and she stood trembling before Master Li, unable to speak. She seemed to be watching him very carefully. Jen Zi looked to her Master, then to the woman, her head beginning to spin. Master Li stared back evenly at the woman, then continued,

"Well…you need not jump to any hasty conclusions. There are few bandits in this area, and I sent him with an escort. Perhaps he simply decided that his future lay in a direction other than home."

The woman's mouth was moving, but no words were coming out. Master Li stood up, and went to her. He placed two gentle arms around her shoulders, and began to guide her towards the door.

"Now I am sorry, but I do not have any further information for you. Perhaps someone in the village-"

"You're lying," the woman finally whispered softly, staring directly into Li's eyes. He stopped, but said nothing, merely stared back at her coolly. "I know you're lying," the woman's voice began to rise hysterically, until she was shouting. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON?" She screamed, pounding Master Li on the chest with both her fists.

Jen Zi remained rooted in place, and watched as Smiling Moutain rushed into the room and pulled the sobbing woman off her master. Master Li turned to walk away, but before he did he looked at Jen Zi with a peculiar expression on his face. Jen Zi couldn't quite understand it, but something in his eyes made her suddenly very afraid. She ran.

She didn't get very far before the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach finally caught up to her, and forced her to stop and take huge, slow breaths. She looked up, only to see that she was standing underneath the tree where she and Yuan Ho…Jen Li snapped her eyes shut, and refused to let herself think of him. Instead, the image of her master's eyes moments before filled her mind. They were cold…

_dead_, a voice whispered within her.

Jen Zi was suddenly and violently sick. She fell to her knees and wretched until she was weak and trembling. She then crawled as far away from the foul smelling bile as her body would allow her to, before collapsing on the cool ground and curling into a tight ball. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest and thought, her brain feverish.

She remembered the horrible feeling she had felt upon first discovering that Yuan Ho was gone. She remembered knowing that he had been sent away because of her. And finally, she thought of Yuan Ho, and she began to cry. Sobs wracked Jen Zi's small body, until she was able to wrestle her emotions back under her control. She thought of Yuan Ho's mother's assertions, that Master Li had done something to Yuan Ho, and a feeling of panic began to rise in Jen Zi. However, she quickly stomped it out.

Master Li was the closest thing to a father she had. He was kind and gentle, and never raised his voice. He was strict yes, and demanding certainly…but…he only wanted what was best. He wouldn't…he couldn't…

Jen Zi stood up, with a shamed look on her face. How could she even _consider_ that Master Li would do something so terrible? Making up her mind, she began to walk back towards the training grounds. A spar or two was what she needed, something to take her mind of things. Still, a seed of doubt had been planted in the deepest part of her mind.

But there was no time for that now. She had work to do. After all, she was at a critical stage of her training, and she couldn't afford any distractions.


	2. Chapter One

**A.N:** Thanks to all those who reviewed my story. It makes me happy to know that people actually take the time to read what I've written. The first chapter takes place several years after the prologue, a few months before the events of the actual game begin to occur. To those of you wondering about Yuan Ho...sorry, but I can't tell you what actually happened just yet. I know, I'm evil.

* * *

**Chapter One**

"Dawn Star!" Jen Zi called as she knocked on the door to Dawn Star's small cottage.

"I'll be right out," Jen Zi heard Dawn Star's muffled voice from somewhere inside. Jen Zi turned from the door, and walked a few paces to the edge of the porch. She leaned over the railing, and admired the view. Beneath her, spread out in all different directions, was a multitude of flowers of different types and colors. Each flower's sent blended with the others, and Jen Zi inhaled the exotic perfume appreciatively. In the distance, Jen Zi could hear the sound of a waterfall as it tumbled and danced over well-worn rocks, before splashing into the pond below. All of Two Rivers was beautiful, but in Jen Zi's opinion Dawn Star's garden was probably more idyllic than the rest. Standing there, with only the sounds of nature surrounding her, Jen Zi felt at peace.

Her respite was shattered as the door behind her creaked open on its hinges, and Dawn Star stepped out onto the porch. Jen Zi turned and smiled at her friend, as Dawn Star smoothed away a few wrinkles in the front of her rose colored dress.

"Ready to go?" Jen Zi asked. Dawn Star nodded in affirmation, and the two girls stepped off the porch, and began to walk side by side down one of the many winding dirt paths that wove around and through school grounds.

"What do you think Smiling Mountain has planned for us today?" Dawn Star asked Jen Zi curiously.

"I don't know," Jen Zi admitted. "I tried my best to get him to tell me something, but all he said was to meet behind Master Li's house, and not to be late."

Dawn Star frowned. "I don't think it will be sparring matches or anything of that nature…the land just isn't big enough to hold all of us."

The two girls rounded a corner, and came upon a large group of their classmates. They sought out Jing Woo and joined him, and he immediately began to tease,

"Finally, Master Li's two prize pupils decide to _grace_ us with their presence. How good of you to be nearly on time! How consid-HEY!" Jing Woo yelped, as Jen Zi swatted at the back of his head good-naturedly. Jen Zi and Jing Woo stepped closely together, face to face, each glaring at the other. A moment of silence passed, before both simultaneously burst into laughter.

"All right everyone, settle down," Smiling Mountain's voice boomed over the hum of chattering voices. He cast a stern glance at Jen Zi and Jing Woo, who quickly smothered their laughter. "I imagine you're all wondering why I asked you out here today," Smiling Mountain continued. "Today's lesson is simple, yet unique. But first, I have a question for all of you. Why are you here?"

For a moment there was silence. Finally, a female voice spoke up, "I was sent here mostly because my family was embarrassed of me…I wasn't quite the wilting flower they had hoped for." Jen Zi recognized the voice as belonging to Lin, a girl a few years younger than herself.

"And why do you stay? What do you hope to get out of your studies, Student Lin?" Smiling Mountain asked. Lin pursed her lips, and her brow furrowed as she thought. Hesitantly she replied,

"I'm not really sure. I haven't thought about it all that much," seeing that her answer would not placate her teacher, Lin sighed. After a pause, she added, "Maybe I'll go to the Scholar's Garden, in the Imperial City."

From somewhere in the crowd, a loud snort could be heard. Smiling Mountain turned and frowned at Gao the Lesser, who was standing slightly off by himself with a smirk on his face, his arms crossed lazily in front of him. "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class, Gao?" Smiling Mountain asked icily.

Gao glanced at Lin contemptuously and muttered, "Waste of space," under his breath. Jen Zi bristled, but since Smiling Mountain had not heard, Gao continued, speaking louder,

"The whole point of training is to become more powerful. That way you'll be able to make your place in the world. As soon as I get out of this small, backwater village, I'll go on to greater things. Everyone will know my name, and fear and respect it."

Beside Jen Zi, she could see Dawn Star clenching her fists, her knuckles turning white. Jing Woo and Jen Zi looked at one another incredulously. Jing Woo thrust out his chest and puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head from side to side in a severe manner, doing an impression of Gao that almost caused Jen Zi to burst out laughing again. Thankfully, she had enough self-restraint to contain herself, and rolled her eyes.

Smiling Mountain, however, smiled serenely as Gao finished speaking. "Ah, and so we come to the next part of our lesson." He gestured for the students to follow him, and he led them over a small bridge. Again, Smiling Mountain gestured in front of him, pointing to a small, simple gravestone set in the side of a hill. There was no name on the stone, merely a crude carving of a lion's face. On either side of the grave were small vases for holding sticks of incense. Two plumes of smoke floated lazily upwards. Making sure that everyone had a chance to see the grave, Smiling Mountain turned to his students and asked,

"Who is buried here?"

"I think it's a former master of this school," Dawn Star spoke up timidly. Smiling Mountain smiled. "Yes, you are correct Dawn Star. And what," he asked "Was his name?" There was a complete and total silence. "Does anyone know the answer?" Smiling Mountain asked again. Again, there was silence. Smiling Mountain turned to face the grave again. "I'm afraid that even I do not have the answer to that question. Which brings me to another one…what meaning, if any, was their to his existence?"

The students shifted around uncomfortably. "I'm…I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir," spoke Si Pat, one of the younger students nervously.

"Well, according to some," Smiling Mountain glanced briefly at Gao, "The purpose of one's life and training is to gain power and prestige…to have your name remembered. What then, does it mean when your name is lost? Does it mean that the life behind the name was insignificant?"

"No," a boy towards the front of the crowd frowned. "It doesn't."

Jen Li examined the boy with interest. Like the others, he wore the traditional school uniform. His shiny black hair was pulled back into a low-hanging bun on the back of his head, although some bangs and smaller strands of hair framed the edges of his face. There was a red bandanna tied across his forehead. Jen Zi knew that he was one of the newer students, but she couldn't for the life of her recall his name.

"Dawn Star," she whispered to her friend, her eyes never leaving the boy. "Who is that?"

"His name is Wen," Dawn Star said, following Jen Zi's gaze. "He just arrived about a week ago…I think he's from the Imperial City. I haven't talked with him much, but he seems nice enough. He's kind of quiet."

Both Jen Zi and Dawn Star fell quiet as Smiling Mountain turned his attention towards Wen. "Please, continue Student Wen," he said. "Explain why you believe that."

"Well," Wen chewed on his lower lip, thinking carefully how to word his response. "It seems to me that his name doesn't really matter. What use do you have for a name once you're dead? I mean, your name is really only useful as long as you're alive, which in the scheme of things isn't very long," he paused, and a wave of murmuring swept through the crowd as they considered what Wen had said. Once again, Gao snorted disdainfully.

"Ridiculous," he barked, laughing. Smiling Mountain looked at Gao sternly. "That is enough, Gao. You have already spoken your thoughts on the matter, and I will not tolerate another interruption." Wen's head had dropped, and he suddenly seemed to have a strong fascination for the grass around his feet. Smiling Mountain sighed softly, and glanced at Jen Zi. "Well, perhaps we should see what our senior student thinks. Radiant Jen Zi?"

Jen Zi groaned inwardly as he spoke the title in front of her name. Beside her, Jing Woo snickered…he knew how much she hated the pretentious sounding title. Jen Zi elbowed him quickly in the side, and felt satisfied when she heard a small grunt.

"I think," she said slowly "That Wen is right. It's not his name that's most important, it's the actions that he took in life, and how they affected those around him."

The beginning of a smile twitched at the edge of her teacher's face, and Wen looked up and back at Jen Zi gratefully. "Exactly," Wen said, smiling. "He probably taught many students, and those students took what they learned from him and went out into the world…"

"And who they were and what they did all relate back to the teachings of their master," Jen Zi continued. "So, you could say that this man was partially responsible for whatever achievements his students reached…"

"And in that way, his life had a strong and far reaching effect," Wen grinned. "One that was far bigger than just his name," he concluded. Jen Zi and Wen glanced at each other, and each smiled hesitantly. However, Smiling Mountain, true to his name, was grinning ear to ear.

"These two have hit upon the heart of today's lesson," Smiling Mountain said. "And that is this: your actions affect the world around you a great deal. Fame and fortune are unimportant…for they are temporal and fleeting. However, the deeds that you did yesterday, the ones you do today, and the ones you will do tomorrow will echo far into eternity. This man's name has been lost, but his spirit lives on, in every life he has touched. There is no such thing as an insignificant life. Do you understand?"

Slowly, heads began to nod. Smiling Mountain looked around at the assembled students, and beamed. "Good. Class is dismissed. You have the rest of the afternoon to yourselves."

Gao was the first to leave, complaining loudly to anyone who would listen that the whole day had been a complete waste of time. The other students began to slowly filter away, many approaching the grave and bowing respectfully before they left. Soon, the only students left standing in the small thicket were Jing Woo, Dawn Star, Jen Zi, and Wen, who was a little ways away from the other three by himself. He kept casting sidelong glances at the other three, who were involved in quiet conversation and did not notice. Making up his mind, Wen hesitantly approached them.

Dawn Star was the first to see him coming, and she looked up, causing her companions to stop talking and they also looked up. Wen smiled, a bit self consciously, then said,

"Senior student, thank you for your support today. I'm afraid that I can become a bit muddled at times…but you spoke so elegantly!"

Jen Zi blushed, and Jing Woo looked at her with amusement written all across his features. "Please, call me by my name," Jen Zi said hastily. "And you don't have to thank me. I thought you made your point quite well."

"You are kind to say so, Radiant Jen Zi…"

"Just…Jen Zi, please," she interrupted. "I never was fond of that title."

"Oh. Sorry," Wen looked just a little crestfallen.

"No, no! Don't apologize…there's no need," Jen Zi said hastily.

"Okay, sor-I mean…okay," Wen repeated, nervously cracking his knuckles. Jing Woo picked this moment to sling his arm across Wen's shoulders. Wen jumped slightly in surprise, by Jing Woo paid no attention and leaned in close to Wen and said conspiratorially,

"You know, once you get to _really _know her, you'll find out that she doesn't really live up to the 'radiant' part at all," Jing Woo looked at Jen Zi, and caught her staring at Wen. When she realized she had been discovered, she began to blush furiously. "Unless you count that _lovely_ shade of red she's turning right now," Jing Woo continued happily.

"Jing Woo, you leave those two alone," Dawn Star said in an exasperated tone. Turning to Wen she said,

"I'm sorry, but this is the way he always is. You'll get used to it after awhile."

Wen grinned. "It's okay, Dawn Star. I don't mind."

"See?" Jing Woo said triumphantly. "I knew I liked you!" he said to Wen, slapping him on the back before releasing him.

By this point, Jen Zi had recovered slightly, although for some strange reason she still felt a little tongue-tied. Wen turned around and smiled at her again, and Jen Zi suddenly understood why. He reminded her a little of Yuan Ho, especially when he smiled, although Wen was by far more timid than Yuan Ho had been.

"Wen, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" Jen Zi asked brightly. "You've been here a week, but I don't think we've ever really talked."

Wen's face lit up, and he began to talk about his life before Two Rivers. Wen, Jen Zi, Dawn Star and Jing Woo began to walk back to the center of the school grounds. They were walking past the sparring arena, when a familiar but unwelcome voice interrupted the flow of conversation.

"Well, well. If it isn't golden girl and her little entourage of worshipers," Gao said sarcastically, a cold hate smoldering in his eyes. Jen Zi, Dawn Star and Jing Woo were used to such jibes from Gao, and ignored him completely and kept walking. Wen however, stopped in his tracks and glared at Gao with undisguised disgust. Seeing an opportunity, Gao pounced.

"So, another mewling sheep has joined the fold? How pitiful."

"Gao," Wen began. Jen Zi, sensing that something bad was about to happen, turned, and grabbed Wen's arm. "Come on, it's not worth it." She tried to drag Wen away, but Gao continued,

"Why you all insist on following around that pathetic, weakling, _peasant_ is something I'll never understand."

Wen yanked his arm away from Jen Zi, and took a few steps towards Gao. Jen Zi could see she was fighting a losing battle, and looked to Jing Woo and Dawn Star for help. They began to move towards Wen, but before they reached him Gao said,

"She's an orphan too, did you know? Her inbred parents probably took one look at her and-" Wen launched himself at Gao, who merely laughed and sidestepped quickly out of the way.

"A challenge then?" Gao said, grinning. "Finally, someone with a little backbone. I will fight you, boy, if you wish, but realize that your efforts will be futile. You can not beat me." Gao stepped into the ring, and crouched in a fighting stance.

"Wen…" Jen Zi began. Wen glanced at her. Jen Zi shook her head, but couldn't bring herself to speak. An even stronger look of resolve came across Wen's face, and he turned from Jen Zi and stepped into the fighting ring.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Wen and Gao stood facing one another. Wen dropped into a fighting stance, but held back, appraising Gao. Gao cocked his head to one side, and smirked.

"What's the matter, boy? Frightened? You should be. Your own mother won't be able to recognize you once I'm through with you."

"This is bad," Dawn Star whispered. "Maybe we should-"

Before she had a chance to finish her thought, Wen launched himself at Gao. Gao easily side-stepped the other student, and spinning quickly kicked his left leg out, connecting with Wen right at his ribcage. Jen Zi gasped as she heard a couple of ribs crack, and without thinking sprung forward, only to be held back by Jing Woo.

"Don't," he said, his eyes resting on her for a few seconds before flicking back to the fight.

"But-" Jen Zi started to argue.

"I know," Jing Woo said, eyes never leaving the ring. "But he needs to do this himself."

The fight was not going in Wen's favor. In addition to the cracked ribs, Jen Zi could now see a bruise forming over his right eye. He managed to stay on his feet though, although now it was mostly a matter of him keeping out of Gao's way.

Gao sprang forward, his right fist flying through the air. Wen managed to duck beneath it, and fists flying, landed several blows to Gao's stomach. Gao released a loud puff of air, and bent over coughing, taking a few steps back. Wen used the opportunity to his advantage, and quickly moved in, his fists flying rapidly. The first few blows met their mark, sending Gao crashing to the ground. But as he fell, he reached out and grabbed Wen's arm, dragging the smaller student to the dirt with him.

Gao quickly jumped to his feet, and landed a few well-placed kicks to Wen's already injured ribs before he managed to roll out of the way, gasping for breath. Wen pushed himself to his feet, and staggered unstably to his feet.

"Lucky shot," Gao sniffed dismissively. "But one that you'll pay for."

Jen Zi had never seen Gao move so quickly. It was all over in seconds, but seemed to take an eternity. Gao landed a sharp punch to the side of Wen's face, causing his head to whip to one side. Gao followed it by an upward blow to the bottom of his chin, and then kicked Wen with all his force to the center of the stomach.

Wen literally seemed to fly backward, before landing on the ground in an awkward angle. For a moment, nothing could be heard except Gao's labored breathing and Wen's coughing. Then, Gao spoke.

"That will teach you to challenge your betters, boy. You should feel privileged, not everyone gets to learn that lesson from one such as I."

Wen growled, and tried to push himself up. He got a couple of inches off the ground before he collapsed again. Gao started to laugh,

"Are you still trying to win? Peasants should know when they're beaten." To punctuate his proclamation, Gao delivered another swift kick to Wen's side.

Dawn Star gasped, and Jing Woo let out a strangled cry of rage. Jen Zi vaulted into the ring, and shoved Gao back from Wen. Jing Woo and Dawn Star were quickly at her side.

"The fight's over, Gao," Jen Zi said through clenched teeth. Gao glared angrily at Jen Zi, and leapt forward as if to attack her.

"ENOUGH!" bellowed a familiar voice. Gao stopped in his tracks, and turned grudgingly to the only man at the school who held any sort of power over the belligerent student. Master Li glanced briefly at Wen, then back at Gao.

"It would appear," he said in a low, but somehow menacing voice, "That you have done enough for the day, Gao. This fight is over."

"_Master_," Gao said with a twinge of sarcasm in his voice, bowing only slightly. He shot one last cocky grin at Jen Zi, before leaving the ring and heading towards the dorms.

Jen Zi knelt beside Wen. With Jing Woo's and Dawn Star's help, she gently propped Wen up into a sitting position. Wen sat with his head bent, blood dripping from his nose, as he wheezed and struggled to breathe properly.

"Dawn Star, kindly go and inform Smiling Mountain of this unfortunate incident. He shall take care of this student," Master Li said quietly, before turning and going back inside his house. Dawn Star blinked, and shot a look of confusion at Jen Zi. But she quickly got to her feet and went off to find their teacher.

"Jing Woo, I need a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding," Jen Zi said, gently tilting Wen's head back. Jing Woo untied the sash from around his waist, and attempting to keep the mood light, joked,

"If you didn't insist on wearing such an...insubstantial uniform, perhaps you wouldn't have to ask."

Neither Jen Zi nor Wen laughed. In fact, Wen had remained strangely silent throughout the entire incident. Jen Zi held the cloth to Wen's nose, and applied slight pressure. She started to push back some of Wen's errant hair strands, but he quickly swatted her hand away.

"I can do it myself," he snapped, taking the cloth from her as well. Jen Zi's eyebrows arched in surprise, and she sat back, not knowing what to make of Wen's sudden outburst.

She didn't have much time to think about it either, because at that moment Dawn Star returned with Smiling Mountain, and the teacher shooed the other students away so he could better take care of Wen.

Jen Zi, Jing Woo, and Dawn Star walked quietly away. As they reached the outer side of the ring of buildings, they were approached by Lin. Her eyes were gleaming excitedly, and Jing Woo whispered,

"Uh-oh. Here we go," into Jen Zi's ear as the other student approached.

"I heard what happened!" Lin said excitedly.

"News sure travels fast," Jing Woo remarked.

"It always does, when Gao's involved." Lin retorted.

"What has he said?" Jen Zi asked sharply.

Lin snorted. "Oh you know Gao. But I was able to pick out the facts from what he said. How's Wen?"

"Smiling Mountain is with him now," Dawn Star said.

"I don't understand," Jen Zi said suddenly.

"Don't understand what?" Jing Woo asked.

"Why Wen did that. It doesn't make sense-" before she got further, Jing Woo started to laugh. Lin joined him, in her own high-pitched giggle. Even Dawn Star had to suppress a small smile.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Lin finally said. "I wasn't even there, but...well. Let's just put it this way. His feelings for you go beyond just simple admiration."

"You mean...?" Jen Zi said, coloring slightly.

"Honestly," Jing Woo said, rolling his eyes. "For being senior student, you're not too bright, are you?"

And for once, Jen Zi had nothing to say in retort.

* * *

**A.N:** I'd like to apologize for the long delay. School was out of this world crazy this semester, and it totally killed my creativity. I just got done with my two toughest exams, and (finally!) felt the urge to write again. I know it's a little short, but hopefully it's not that terrible. And I pray that inspiration will continue to come to me over Christmas break and the future!  



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